The Annual Summit for Early Talent Developers
Since 2012, North America’s early talent development program leaders have met at the LDP Summit to innovate, share and connect.
The LDP Summit is a unique conference tailor-made for early talent development professionals. Bring your challenges and enthusiam, and invest in YOUR OWN professional development alongside your peers at the 16th annual LDP Summit in Dallas/Fort Worth, TX on May 5 & 6, 2027.
THE 2026 LDP SUMMIT WAS SOLD OUT nearly two months in advance, and the waitlist was FULL. Please secure your 2027 registrations soon.
Why attend the LDP Summit?
Click the video below to hear what others have to say.
THE ANNUAL LDP SUMMIT
Two Days of Transformation...
The 2026 LDP Summit was SOLD OUT with 200 people from 93 organizations.
The 2027 LDP Summit will be on May 5-6 in Dallas/Fort Worth, TX. We are already building the 2027 agenda below.
- Get better results from your early talent programs
- Lead program changes and improvements
- Demonstrate your program's value with metrics
- Discover that you are not ALONE!
Who Comes to the LDP Summit?
“I absolutely LOVED the event and took away so much goodness that I can’t wait to implement in our program.”
LaKeisha James, AT&T
“It was an incredible experience connecting with like-minded professionals, brainstorming innovative ideas, and sharing best practices in early career development. The summit was packed with session speakers who inspired us to think bigger and act bolder.”
Hadyn Hebert, Phillips-Medisize
LDP Connect is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.
The use of this official seal confirms that this Activity has met HR Certification Institute’s® (HRCI®) criteria for recertification credit pre-approval.
16th ANNUAL LDP SUMMIT AGENDA
May 5th & 6th, 2027: Dallas/Fort Worth, TX
(Under construction)
Pre-Conference Workshop: Tuesday, May 4th, 2026 (separate registration fee)
Workshop A
8am-3pm
Separate Registration Fee
Hosted by
133 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30303
Pre-Conference Workshop: How to Build (or Re-Build) a Quality Early Talent Development Program
Offered again in 2027! Getting a program started on the right footing can make all the difference between success and trouble. With the LDP Connect maturity model as a backdrop, this full-day workshop will get you focused on the key foundational questions to setting up and running an impactful (and measurable) early talent development program. With an emphasis on clarifying your program’s goals, you’ll be guided through considering proper program structure, curriculum design, and community building among stakeholders. If you’re new to the world of early talent development programs, or if you’re looking to re-vamp an existing program that may need recalibration, don’t miss this workshop. Facilitated by early talent development experts at Wronski Associates – a firm with 40 years of experience building and running early talent programs. Learn more.
Workshop B
8am-3pm
Separate Registration Fee
Pre-Conference Workshop B: "LAUNCH" - The Accelerator for Professionals New to Early Talent Development
“LAUNCH” is a professional development experience for new early talent development staff that accelerates their understanding of the field and equips them with the skills to be strategic and innovative in their new role. Through a day-long masterclass, and three virtual sessions in the months that follow, LAUNCH will introduce participants to the value of early talent development programs in an organization, illuminate the forces that impact their success, and teach actionable strategies to quickly boost their productivity. Participants will leave with a solid foundation in early talent development theory, a tight network of like-minded new professionals, and the confidence to thrive. Facilitated by two senior early talent development experts with a combined 30 years of experience leading the early talent function at multi-billion dollar organizations. Learn more.
Main Conference Day 1: Wednesday, May 5th, 2027
7:45 am
Breakfast & Networking
8:15 am
Welcome & Introductions
8:30 am
Opening Keynote
Founder of Aim A Little Higher, Olympic Torchbearer, Former British Youth MP
Kamal Ellis-Hyman
TBD
Descrption coming…
9:30 am
Networking Break
9:45 am Concurrent Session 1A
Senior Director, Global Learning Experience Design & Delivery at Robert Half
Rebecca Alimorong
TBD
Description coming…
Concurrent Session 1B
Global Operations Manager - Early Career at Oracle
Deb Shugard
TBD
Description coming…
10:45 am
Networking Break
11:00 am Concurrent Session 2A
Cecil B. Day Chapel
Talent Management Lead at Humana
Kesha Funk
TBD
Description coming…
Concurrent Session 2B
Manager, Early Career Programs at Synchrony
Ryan Gibson
TBD
Description coming…
12:00 pm
Cecil B. Day Chapel
Lunch
1:00 pm
Concurrent Session 3A
TBD
Description coming…
Concurrent Session 3B
Functional “Club” Roundtables
2:15 pm
Networking Break
2:30 pm
Concurrent Session 4A
Manager, Early Career Programs at Fitch Group
NaTasha Spence
TBD
Description coming…
Concurrent Session 4B
Solution Director at Turnberry Solutions
Maura Bremer Peterson
TBD
Description coming…
3:30 pm
Networking Break
3:45 pm
Rapid Fire Session
Rapid Fire Session
5:00 pm
Evening Reception
Main Conference, Day 2: Thursday, May 7th, 2026
8:00 am
Breakfast & Networking
8:30 am Plenary Session
Prog. Mgr., Learning & Talent Enablement at Liberty Mutual
Chuck England
Director, Finance Early Career Programs at Walmart
Kim Mills
Technology Development Program Manager at Optum
Kristen Edblom
Senior Director, Talent Development at Dell Technologies
Jennifer Erickson
TBD
Description coming…
9:45 am
Networking Break
10:00 am Concurrent Session 5A
Early Career Specialist at Sonoco
Joseph Cook
TBD
Description coming…
Concurrent Session 5B
Director, Early Career Finance Development Programs at ServiceNow
Samantha Dray
TBD
Description coming…
11:00 am
Networking Break
11:15 am Concurrent Session 6A
Vice President, Leadership Programs and Early Career at Synchrony
Vince Bond
TBD
Description coming…
Concurrent Session 6B
Senior Talent Management Program Manager at Graphic Packaging International
Brittani Wilson
TBD
Description coming…
12:15 pm
Cecil B. Day Chapel
Lunch
1:15 pm
Community Interactive Session
Topic Tables: "Idea Snack” discussions
2:15 pm
Closing Keynote
Managing Director at LDP Connect
Dan Beaudry
TBD
Description coming…
3:15 pm
Close
The Carter Presidential Center
453 John Lewis Freedom Pkwy NE
Atlanta, GA, 30307
Please enter through the Ivan Allen Pavilion Main Entrance by the circular drive (shown here).
Questions? Please contact [email protected]
FAQ's
Why attend a conference for early talent development professionals?
Because you need support and validation! The life of an early talent development professional is challenging. You hold together a community of people at multiple levels of seniority, and the stakes are high. Early talent developers are coaches, sales people, recruiters, career counselors and brand managers all wrapped into one. The job is big and no one understands you better than your peers. Invest in attending the conference and you’ll walk out with ideas, friends and a whole bunch of positive energy.
What's unique about the LDP Summit?
Although our conference includes content related to early talent acquisition, we are not a “campus recruiting” conference. The LDP Summit was founded in 2012 to focus on early talent development and how to optimize the structured programs that exist to promote it. There are no university career services professionals at the LDP Summit, and the vast majority of our content is produced and delivered by members of our community – other early talent development professionals like you.
What content does the LDP Summit cover?
Here is a link to the agenda of this year’s conference. You can also see past agendas for 2025, 2024, 2023, and 2022. LDP Summit sessions cover many tactical issues in running successful early talent development programs, and often tackle larger strategic questions about early talent development in general.
What if I have more questions about the Summit?
If you have more questions about the LDP Summit or about the LDP Connect community, please contact us at [email protected].
Is there a group discount?
Yes! If you send more than one person, you get a 5% discount on all attendees. Please contact [email protected] for the team discount coupon code. ALSO, if you send at least four people, your full team will be invited to our exclusive Team Workshop session designed for attending teams from the same organization. Bring your colleagues and build something together.
What do past attendees say about the LDP Summit?
Many attendees come back year over year to connect with colleagues and share innovations in early talent program management. Here are some testimonials from past attendees.
Some Participating Organizations
LDP Connect includes professionals from many of the world’s marquis employers, including 40% of the Fortune 100.
